[The Muppets] #101 - Pig Girls Don't Cry

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The Muppets are back on television, but surprisingly they are returning in a completely new concept. Instead of the classic Muppet show being hosted by Kermit with various guest stars, it actually tries to take a more modern route by having it be a pseudo-behind-the-scenes feature of a talk show featuring Miss Piggy, whose Executive Producer is no one else but Kermit the Frog. Yes, while updating the concept, a lot of classic elements do make their return giving us quite a faithful adaptation that tries to be a bit more adult in its theming and storytelling. Only question remains, is it any good?

Short warning beforehand, I will spoil story elements from the episode so only read if you have already seen the episode. So, from this point on be aware that you are reading at your own risk.

The episode is a short introduction to how the show works in general. As mentioned-before Kermit is working on Miss Piggy’s talk show, but they recently broke up so the story introduces us to his new girlfriend Denise, and yes, she is in fact also a pig. While we only get a glimpse at his new relationship, she seems to be nice, but the stress of working for Piggy is getting to him, even leading to him getting a bit of a belly, because he keeps over-eating. There is a short scene that reveals how they broke up and it nicely ties into Piggy’s short rant and hatred towards Elizabeth Banks, which makes up a big element of the premiere episode. I have to say, I got a bit teary eyed at seeing the most bizarre power couple face their faults and Kermit just at the end of his wit.

One thing I have to say is that the subplot featuring Fozzy Bear and his new girlfriend was a bit by the books, as it was obviously a play on how parents usually react when their daughter would bring back someone, who is not white. While it was funny seeing these connectsoin being made with bears, like the father of Riki Lindhome, who plays Fozzy’s girlfriend, thinking he will actually go through their thrash, but almost like Fozzy himself, the jokes don’t always hit home. Still, the punchline was a nice twist on the familiar storyline and it was quite true to Fozzy’s personality.

Actually, most of these characters all were very faithful with the exception of Kermit, who just seems a bit more frustrated at the moment. Miss Piggy was as loud as always and had some great lines, and it is just great seeing all these characters together. Also love the fact that Sam the Eagle was turned into the representation of overly critical Television censorship, even with one of my favorite jokes of the episode. Gonzo also had some fantastic lines in the episode with him pitching the various jokes for the episode, which were great, but I was confused of the lack of seeing his wife, Camilla the Chicken.

The most controversial element will be the fact that these Muppets also have some more mature jokes. Many lines were great and it was nice seeing Fozzy remain as the more innocent character with his classically unfunny jokes that were extremely mild in comparison to other statements. Also, the short interview sections do add something to the seires, making some cutaway jokes fantastic and even gave some smaller characters some spotlight.

My only major complaint is the lack of Rowlf, but that is mainly because he is my personal favorite Muppet and normally was the most sarcastic of characters. I am hoping we will see him appear in later episodes with a speaking role, because I am unsure if I missed him somewhere in the background. Overall, it isn't perfect, but it is a hard sell considering it modernizes some of the most iconic characters in television. The episode feels very much like a set-up with some great jokes here and there, a decent sub-plot and a bit more adult humore than what we are use to, so looking forward to the second episode to see how they build upon the foundation.

Well, there you have my opinion on the new show. What did you think? Leave a comment below!


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